Texas is home to around 4 million people over the age of 65. That number is expected to double by 2050.
With so many seniors in Texas, the importance of affordable senior living communities can’t be understated. The perception of retirement homes among many Texans is that it is prohibitively expensive, but this isn’t necessarily the case.
It’s possible to find low-cost senior living that gives residents a high quality of life that they might not get living alone. In today’s post, we’ll explain some of the many benefits of senior living.
Once you understand what to look for in a senior living community, you can find cheap senior care options that fit your budget. Keep reading and get the process of finding the best community for your loved one moving.
A Simpler Lifestyle
Affordable retirement homes provide residents with a simpler life. As people age, it becomes harder to look after a household. One of the biggest benefits of senior living is that they don’t have to worry about maintenance at all.
They’ll have an apartment to turn into their private space, but senior living communities staff housekeepers to help with chores. This gives your loved one more free time to participate in any of the activities on the calendar or simply relax in one of the many common areas.
Enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle will improve your loved one’s quality of life, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Even the most affordable senior living communities offer this benefit.
Better Physical Health
A good low-cost senior living community can emphasize the importance of healthy living for no extra money. They’ll have an activity calendar full of social activities geared towards physical fitness. It could be something low-impact like outdoor yoga or something more intensive like a jogging club.
Fitness is crucial for people of all ages, but its importance becomes more pronounced in older populations. Experts say that the average senior should get at least 150 minutes per week of low to moderate aerobic exercise.
When your loved one is at home alone, they’re far less likely to get out for a walk or yoga class. If everything is within arm’s reach at a senior living community, however, it incentivizes healthy behavior. They’ll quickly see that being physically healthy trickles into every other aspect of life.
Better Mental Health
Depression and anxiety are running rampant in our senior population. A lot of these feelings are the result of social isolation. If your loved one is spending most of their time alone at home, there’s a good chance they’re feeling isolated.
Searching for cheap senior care options can help your loved one become happier. There, they’ll spend more time around people their age and become part of a larger community.
When they start attending social events and developing friendships in the community, they’ll realize that life can still be fun. A good community will have a calendar of interesting activities to promote socialization. Many senior care residents strike up incredible friendships that bring new meaning to life.
Improved Cognition
Another benefit of quality activity programming in senior care is improved cognition. Nearly 7 million elderly Americans are suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Many factors contribute to this statistic, but engaging the brain is one way to lower the risk of cognitive decline.
Countless activities help boost cognition. A community might have a meditation instructor come on one day, and then have puzzle hour another day. All of it is incredibly helpful in engaging the brain to help keep your loved one sharp.
If your loved one is already showing signs of cognitive decline, you may need memory care. This type of assisted living involves more intensive care, as well as therapy and exercises geared toward aiding and managing symptoms of dementia.
Healthy Dining
Nutrition is yet another important aspect of senior living. If your loved one eats a balanced diet full of nutrients and vitamins, they’ll feel better and lower the risk of various illnesses.
A good assisted living community will have in-house dining so that residents don’t always have to think about what to eat. All meals are prepared with the dietary needs of senior residents in mind. Of course, all residents can also cook for themselves in their rooms.
Healthy eating can lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes in older adults. It can also improve bone, muscle, and joint function. This makes it easier for seniors to be more active.
Customizable
One of the things to consider when looking for affordable retirement homes is customizability. Communities that allow you to customize your senior living services are more affordable by nature. You can look at your budget and choose the services that are of the highest priority.
Your loved one may not need to take advantage of the biggest rooms or in-house dining. If they’re still relatively independent, they can opt for fewer amenities and simply enjoy the community side of senior living.
Safety and Security
One of the senior living advantages that isn’t often talked about is the peace of mind it provides families. Whether your loved one needs assisted living, memory care, or independent living, their safety and security are paramount.
A good community will strike the perfect balance between freedom and safety. Family members can rest easy knowing that their loved one is enjoying their freedom in senior care but still getting out and about to experience new things.
At Sabine Place Assisted Living, we offer scheduled transportation for our residents. They’ll be able to go out to make visits, run errands, and attend medical appointments independently, but with the safety of our in-house transportation.
Affordable Senior Living Communities in Texas
These are a few of the biggest benefits of affordable senior living communities, but it’s really just scratching the surface. When you take a tour of our community at Sabine Place Assisted Living, you’ll see how your loved one can live a higher quality of life than they currently are.
We’re one of the top senior living communities in Orange, TX. To schedule a tour and learn more about your loved one’s transition into senior care, contact us today.
